Life Sciences Discovery Fund’s new $20 million competition

The Life Sciences Discovery Fund is holding a $20 million competition for non-profit health care organizations and universities to create new technologies that “foster health improvements and economic growth for Washington’s citizens.”

The request for proposals will be released June 27, with full proposals due in October and money to be awarded next Spring. The organization is looking for advancements in disease prevention, medical device development, health care delivery and other areas.

Lee Huntsman, executive director of the fund, said they want participants to “think big, to really make a difference in the science that contributes to healthier lives.”

Seattle scientist Leroy Hood lashed out at the state’s Life Sciences Discovery Fund earlier this month, saying it “has made every single wrong decision a fund can make.” One of Hood’s criticisms was that the fund was not tightly focused.